Salvation's Hope Through Suffering

May 10, 2015 Preacher: Scott Hollingshead Series: Hope when life is hard

Topic: Suffering Scripture: 1 Peter 3:18–22

Big idea: Jesus wins and those who are in Him win too!

When you lose sight of hope in suffering, look to Jesus to remind you of your victory...
1. Victory over sin and death
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he may bring us to God,

Interpretive decisions:
1. Respect contextual constraints-
2. Allow Scripture to interpret Scripture-
3. Seek to understand authorial intent-

being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

2. Victory over Satan and demons
3 most common interpretations
1. Peter was referring to Christ descending by His living spirit into Sheol/Hades to preach to imprisoned demonic spirits awaiting final judgment in the interim of his death and resurrection.

2. In defense against post-mortem conversion, Augustine said the text refers to Christ’s preaching through Noah to unbelievers in his day while Noah was building the ark.

3. Text describes Christ’s proclamation of victory over all His enemies after his death and resurrection.
Genesis 6:1-4
Revelation 20:7- Also Jude 6, 2 Peter 2:4.
19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison-
20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.

So how does this connect or serve as a type to baptism?
21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
1. Baptism is an outward expression of an inward faith-
2. Baptism comes with an appeal-

3. Victory in His triumphant rule
22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Bringing faith to life:
1. Suffering is purposeful and its path leads to victory.
2. Nothing can come against you that is beyond the control of Jesus
3. In your suffering, Jesus still reigns and rules.

More in Hope when life is hard

June 21, 2015

Hoping in the God of all Grace

June 14, 2015

Hope for the humble and anxious

June 7, 2015

Shepherds in the trenches